Equipment Reviews

WELCOME

Welcome to the June 2011 issue of Equipment Reviews, sent out monthly exclusively to the loyal customers of Edwin Watts Golf. If you haven't already signed up for your free Equipment Reviews subscription, then please click here - there's no obligation and you can cancel at any time.

RORY ROCKIN’ WITH TITLEIST

Congratulations to Rory McIlroy for his outstanding performance in winning the U.S. Open! All of McIlroy’s tools are Titleist-branded: A Pro V1x ball, 910D2 8.5º driver with C-2 SureFit Tour hosel setting (Fujikura Rombax 7V05 shaft), 906F2 13º 3-wood (Fujikura Pro95), 906F2 18º 5-wood (Fujikura Pro95), MB 3-9-irons (Royal Precision Project X steel), Vokey Design Spin Milled 48º (bent to 46º), 54º and 60º wedges (Royal Precision Project X steel), and a Scotty Cameron GSS prototype putter in a chromatic bronze finish. With that putter, McIlroy averaged 1.65 putts per green. Also noteworthy: McIlroy was one of 96 players at the Open who used a Titleist ball, more than five times the nearest competitor with 19 and more than all competitors combined. It marked the 63rd consecutive year that Titleist was the #1 ball at the Open.

EQUIPMENT

NEVER COMPROMISE DINERO TYCOON PUTTER

Long known for great putters, Never Compromise has debuted a wonderful new line of putters. The four-model Dinero series putters are each machined with unique artwork on the sole. They’re also forged from soft 303 stainless steel, yielding unprecedented feel at impact. The limited-edition Dinero Tycoon model looks rich. Its toe-down blade and swan neck lend elegance and provides the confidence you just might need to find the cup. The 303 stainless steel flatstick also weighs 340 grams, which helps your putts feel even more solid. It comes standard with a soft Winn grip, as well.

YES! GOLF PUTTERS

Yes! Golf – freshly revived by Adams Golf – recently introduced several models that all sport the brand’s patented C-Groove Technology. Three of the models -- named Ann, Christina and Laura -- are brand-new to the U.S. market and are all made of 304 stainless steel. The Ann is a heel-toe plumber neck with a blast finish; the Christina is a face-balanced heel-toe blade with a double-bend shaft and weighing 350 grams; and the Laura is a classic face-balanced mallet featuring a double-bend shaft and pink alignment aids on both the top rail and cavity. The grooves are concentric and lathed into the putter’s face at specific angles to maximize performance and feel. They impart an early and stable over-rolling action to putts, for consistency.

CALLAWAY HYPER-LITE 4.0 STAND BAG

A lightweight bag is essential these days – regardless of it you’re walking or riding. Why riding? Because it’s easier to transport all of the things you might want to pack into your bag, even if it’s just from your car trunk in the parking lot to the golf cart in front of the starter’s desk. One great new stand bag, Callaway’s Hyper-Lite 4.0, weighs just 4 pounds and features a 4-point double strap system that evenly distributes the bag’s weight across your shoulders. A foot base keeps the bag touching the ground, as the legs extend, enhancing stability. Its 9-inch oval top has six full-length dividers and incorporates an injection-molded hand grip for easy lifting, while a soft hip pad provides comfort throughout your round. And with 11 pockets, you’ll want to load it up for convenience.

HOT GEAR NEWS

TaylorMade debuted the Ghost Spider putter that combines the head construction, size and high MOI of the Monza Spider with the white alignment benefits of the company’s Ghost models. Prototypes of this model were tested in Tour competition this year. In fact, Jason Day used it to finish in second place at both the Masters and U.S. Open...Speaking of the U.S. Open, Eaton Corporation announced that 81 percent of all players at the tournament used its Golf Pride grips, noting that more than half the 156-player field used the Tour Velvet model…Kevin Streelman and Paddy Harrington have both been playing new Wilson Staff FG V2 irons, which are forged cavitybacks with loads of mass behind the clubface…TaylorMade Golf signed renowned PGA instructor Hank Haney, who will play and teach with TaylorMade equipment, wear its logo on his headwear and shirt and use its bag…KBS debuted the C-Taper shaft with geometry that’s optimal for promoting a lower trajectory and reduced spin without sacrificing feel. It’s for players with a quick swing tempo or those needing a lower trajectory…Tifosi Optics introduced lightweight Slope sunglasses with an open lens frame…PING debuted an impressive iPING putter app for Apple mobile devices that analyzes a golfer’s putting stroke. The app is free, but to work properly, a golfer must buy a PING cradle for $30 that essentially clips the mobile device to the putter shaft How effective is it? Heath Slocum reportedly used it two weeks ago, and realized that his Ping Anser Milled Series #6 was a better fit for him than the Ping model he had been playing…Heavy Putter debuted two Tour Series putters – both the Q2-MT offset blade and R3-MT half-mallet are CNC milled and have a bright silver PVD finish; and four Bronze series models (two blades and two mallets) that each sport a black nickel finish. All are MID-WEIGHT models, meaning their total putter weight is 750 grams…Adams has had Tour pros trying out its upcoming Speedline 9088 UL ultralight driver…Several Tour pros have also reportedly been playing PING's upcoming G20 game-improvement driver.

Price promotion(s) are valid on Internet and Phone orders only. Due to manufacturer restrictions, offers exclude select new release and other select products.

A $10 Minimum Purchase is required for any offer to be valid. Offer excludes All Golf Balls, all products from PING and select products from Adams Golf, Callaway, Cleveland Golf, COBRA-PUMA GOLF, ECCO, FootJoy, Mizuno, Nike, Odyssey, Pinnacle, SkyCaddie, Sun Mountain, TaylorMade, Titleist, Top Flite, Tour Edge Golf, and Under Armour and certain other manufacturers. Select sale and clearance items and all items ending in .88 (unless otherwise stated) are excluded. Offer is limited to one transaction per code. Offer cannot be combined with any other offer/coupon or used for previously purchased merchandise, exchanges, special orders or toward gift card purchases. Offer valid while supplies last, no substitutions, back-orders or rain checks. Offer void where prohibited by law. In case of returned merchandise, coupon savings may be deducted from refund. All promotion offer times are Eastern Time Zone. Offer valid for a limited time only.